This invention relates in general to physical exercise devices, and more particularly to an exercising device using stretching elastic bands.
Exercising devices are very popular for maintaining good health and proper physical condition. Although many exercising devices are cumbersome and require the facilities of a well equipped gym, more and more exercising devices are being provided for use by an individual in his own home. Such devices are generally of a type which must be easy to assemble and simple to manipulate, and should be both inexpensive as well as useful for developing proper physical conditions.
One popular type of exercising device provides a spring type material with substantial resistance which is pulled by the individual's hands, legs, or other parts of the body. The pulling against the biasing spring, or other elastic material, provides the necessary resistance against which the muscles pull and provides physical stress for developing the muscular areas. Heretofore, most of these stretching type exercising devices have required complex installations involving interconnections to a wall, or other stationary support. As a result, most of the exercise devices utilizing a stretching principle were only available in well equipped gyms. Some attempts have been made to provide these items in simplier form for use in the home as well as in gyms, however these have also been bulky and have not been widely accepted.
One such device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 118,740. In that patent there is shown a base plate with upwardly extending rubber straps or springs. The user can stand on the base plate and pull up against the straps or springs. Such a lifting exercising device is of the type desired, however, there is not provided any interchangeability of the straps, nor is there taught any method of interconnecting the straps to the base plate.
One of the most important needs of having an exercising device which can be utilized in a simple manner at home, is to make the device so that it can be easily assembled and disassembled. Furthermore, once assembled it should be retained in a firm, secure and sturdy manner to avoid accidents. Such type of easily assembled, portable, yet sturdy exercising device of the lifting and stretching type has not heretofore been provided.